A fleet intruder (later frontier Cruiser) of the Azhanti High Lightning class. Tail number 6355.
Laid down 095-994. First flight 117-997. 60,000 tons and heavily armed.
The Children of the March was unusual in this class of ships primarily for its method of
financing.

The boost to subsector economy created by the award of starship construction
contracts is always important enough to make all areas of the Imperium vie for the privilege. At
the time of the bidding invitations, the Solomani Rim War (990 to 1002) was burning on the
other side of the Imperium; there was little chance that the Spinward Marches would receive a
contract.

The Duke of Regina, speaking for the Marches, proposed that the Marches fund one
additional ship from its own resources, on the condition that the Marches receive a contract to
produce a portion of the total run. The school children of the worlds within the Marches
contributed their lunch money, at a quarter credit each, for the ultimate funding of one ship,
and it was named Children of the March in their honor.

At least, that's the story available to the casual reader. But that sort of activity is very cost-
ineffective, and has a great potential for graft, or at least inattention. Instead, the sector
government came up with the idea, and implemented it at the highest levels.

Given a
population of 783 billion in the Marches (under direct Imperial rule), children in school amount
to about 10% of that population. Assum